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"To leave oneself", by Meister Eckhart

The world said: "I would so live piety and fervor that others seem to live, be at peace with God as others are, being truly poor. "Or:"whatever I do, and wherever I am, I am never satisfied. I would both be far from home, without business, in a monastery or a remote location. »

In truth, all of this is none other than you, your own will that you am constantly without knowing even you account. That you admettes it or not, never a dissatisfaction arises in you who is your creation.

Let us understand: flee this, go to this, avoid these people, find a way or occupation is that your agitation. The cause of your problems is not in things, it is yourself in things. That is why look at yourself first and leaves you. In truth, while radicals you not your want, you beautiful flee, you find everywhere barriers and concerns.

Search anything in external things, peace, a place of retreat, the society of men, so acting, the noble works, exile, poverty or abandonment of all, regardless of the size this is nothing, don't count for anything, give nothing – especially not the peace. This quest leads nowhere: more is sought thus, less there. Having taken a wrong path, is that away more each day.

So what does do? First, surrendering oneself and thus abandon any thing. In truth, one who renounces a Kingdom, in the same world, keeping to oneself, does give up nothing. But the man who is giving up himself, what he keeps, wealth, honor, or whatever it is, has waived any. (…)

Viewing and where you are, give you up. This is the highest.

Know that nobody is enough left there to leave more. So start there, die to the task: this is where you will find true peace, and nowhere else.

A few words that the Vicar of Thuringia, prior of Erfurt, brother Eckhart, of the order of preachers, addressed to his spiritual sons that raised it all kinds of questions when they gathered for the evening snack.